There was an insanely authentic and delicious Mexican food dive in the general vicinity of my college campus. It was basically a hut with a drive-through–I’m not even sure it had a seating area inside–and it was the perfect fare for my fellow dormmates and me: high on fat and flavor, incredibly cheap, open all night. The two or three people who worked there were friendly and upbeat and made the most incredible quesadillas I’ve ever eaten–ones I’ve never been able to duplicate to this day. What was that mysterious cheese? I think it was all a dream. They also sold carne asada and pollo asado tacos and burritos. I didn’t eat them because I was a vegetarian in college for reasons I still don’t understand. But I still don’t understand acid wash, either. Or neon scrunchies. Or Sun-In.

Pollo Asado is marinated Mexican (or Cuban, depending on your perspective) grilled chicken, seasoned in any number of ways. I took a basic/citrus approach, but you can add cumin or other spices to give it whatever kick you like. But the magic, to me, is not the chicken itself, but what you do with it after it’s cooked: serve the pieces whole, with warm tortillas and pico de gallo…and whatever other scrumptious sides you can manage.

It’s how grilled chicken should always be served.

Here’s what you need for the marinade.

Measure 1/2 cup olive oil, then grab a couple of oranges and whack ‘em in half.

Squeeze enough oranges to make half a cup of juice.

And if you don’t have enough oranges, which I did not…

Just supplement with some storebought stuff.

Lemons are best, but I had no lemons. I had no lemons because I have a mental block about buying lemons when I go to the grocery store. I’ve needed lemons for approximately fourteen years now, and I can’t seem to remember to buy them.

When this bottled stuff runs out, I’m gonna be in a world of hurt.

You’ll also need a couple of limes.

And a disturbing, freaky pink alien hand to do the hard work.

As you squeeze the fruit, throw it into the bowl or bag that you plan to use to marinate the chicken.

Next add salt…

And pepper.

Then grab three or four cloves of garlic…

And use your aggressions and frustrations to violently smash them.

Throw them into the marinade…

Then whisk it all together.

Throw a bunch of chicken legs into the bowl (or bag) with the squeezed fruit, and add a couple of peeled, quartered onions.

Pour the marinade all over the chicken, then toss, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours. Mo’ is better, though.

And glass bowls are better. But I have to be me.

While the chicken’s marinating, make some pico de gallo: you’ll need chopped tomatoes…

Onions…

Jalapenos…

And lots and lots of cilantro, not shown because I’m an airhead.

When you’re ready to cook the chicken (and really, be sure to let it marinate and marinate and marinate first) arrange it on a broiler pan. Preheat the broiler and arrange the rack toward the bottom of the oven, and broil the chicken for 20 to 25 minutes, turning and marinating the chicken once during the cooking process.

While the chicken is cooking, warm some corn tortillas in a separate oven (or wait until the chicken’s done)…

And/or some flour tortillas.

Grab some beans if you have some. These are simple canned pinto beans, which I drained, seasoned, and warmed slowly on the stovetop for about thirty minutes.

Preparation Instructions

In a bowl, combine olive oil, orange juice, lemons, limes, salt, pepper, and garlic cloves, saving juiced fruit. Whisk together. Place chicken legs, juiced pieces of fruit, and quartered onions in large plastic bags or bowl. Pour marinade over the top, tossing to combine. Cover with plastic wrap (if using bowl) and marinate for at least two hours--several hours is better. Toss a few times during the marinating process.

Preheat broiler to high. Arrange oven rack toward bottom of oven.

Lay chicken legs on a broiler pan, or other baking dish with a drip tray. Broil for 25 minutes, turning once and marinating other side halfway through. Remove pan from oven when done.

Wrap tortillas in foil and warm in separate oven while chicken is broiling, or after chicken is removed from oven (reduce oven temp to 300.)

141 Comments and 24 Replies

It’s OK if I just eat the pico de gallo, right from the bowl, and ignore the other dishes, right?

Caroline in Tennessee On Monday, June 27 at 10:44 am

The food looks delish but I adore dishes (plates, bowls, measuring cups, etc!) – I purchased some cute measuring cups from Anthropologie and then found almost the same exact measuring cups for much less at worldmarket.com.- just thought I would share in case anyone loves this type of thing as much as I do!

His Wife On Monday, June 27 at 7:06 pm

Caroline! I have been wanting those measuring cups and trying to figure out how to justify the expense and there they are! I just ordered both the flowers and the vegetables in two sets so that I can give the others away as hostess gifts at the holidays to a relative who loves to cook too! THANK YOU!!

Cynthia On Monday, June 27 at 9:12 am

We lived in a van and traveled through Mexico climbing for about a year. We worked up an appetite and would dash to the nearest smoking grill we could find. We became addicted to halves of chickens butterflied and grilled over open flames. With greasy fingers we would pull chunks of meat off the bone tucking them in warm corn tortillas and slathering on a smooth salsa. This recipe takes me back to those days. I can get down with some pollo asado!

Yep. This is how I generally make pollo asado, sans the orange juice. I also add rice along to the corn tortilla/chicken/salsa fresca (what you call pico de gallo) soft taco creation that ultimately ends up as an overstuffed mini-burrito thanks to everything else I’ve added.

Valerie On Monday, June 27 at 9:22 am

we call it asadA here in Bakersfield, California.
Never new there was another way to call it.

Stacy On Monday, June 27 at 10:13 am

‘Asado/asada’ is an adjective, so which one you use depends on the gender of the noun it is modifying. ‘Pollo’ is a masculine noun, so the adjective should be masculine (asado)…whereas ‘carne,’ for example, is a feminine noun, so the adjective is feminine (asada)

Jack On Monday, June 27 at 3:13 pm

Gracias.
I’m aware of how to conjugate the verb. Not too far from Tiajuana here.
Just wanted to ring in that we call in asadA here…chicken asadA.
Adios.

Nathalie On Thursday, July 7 at 7:50 pm

And we call that darn good eating down here in Houston! I’m lucky (cursed?) in that there’s a Pollo Asada place upwind from us that starts cooking first thing in the morning. I emphasize upwind, because when we’re out taking care of the horses that wind (bringing with it the siren-song of pollo asada smell) just simply kills us. I love the stuff, but of course would love to make it at home and didn’t quite know how. Thanks for the recipe!

23

Kelly Lilley On Monday, June 27 at 9:24 am

Gosh that looks so good. I love, love, love this dish! Now I have a great idea for the holiday weekend.

Claudia On Monday, June 27 at 9:37 am

Minute Maid makes a frozen lemon juice that tastes like lemon juice stright from the lemon — because that’s what it is. It’s much better than anything from a bottle. I let it thaw in the refrigerator and use it when I need it. I don’t know how long it keeps, but it’s several weeks anyway. Look for it in the frozen foods section near the orange juice.

Sally JoJo On Monday, June 27 at 3:08 pm

That what I use when I have a “Ree” moment and forget the lemons too! I think it is WAY better then the bottle stuff too.

cw On Monday, June 27 at 9:58 am

This kind of reminds me of chicken we get here at a drive thru place called Pollo Regio.

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Diana K. On Monday, June 27 at 10:03 am

That looks delicious! Yum!

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Kelly A. On Monday, June 27 at 10:04 am

My chicken is marinating right now… I as so glad I bought all that citrus this weekend!!!

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Marie M.C. On Monday, June 27 at 10:31 am

I love the flavors of Mexican food. When I make Pico de Gallo I too use red onions. I also add a teaspoon of olive oil and a squeeze of lime juice. Can I suggest gilding the lily and adding sour cream and guacamole to the sides?

Laura C On Monday, June 27 at 10:08 pm

Jonathan On Saturday, July 16 at 10:38 pm

This is OUR kind of meal. The only addition would be pineapple juice added to the marinade….mmmmmm…… And lime, garlic, salt & PICKLED jalapenos, to the pico. Pico is a staple in our house………yum! Eat it fresh, cook with it as it ages, add to soups, meats, eggs, you name it………Pico is great!

44

Odie On Monday, June 27 at 11:22 am

Try Chihuahua cheese in your attempts to remake the quesadillas… it’s an amazing melting cheese that I use in my enchiladas.

diane On Monday, June 27 at 11:26 am

I have a question – I am a semi-newbie to cooking – does the citrus marinade make the chicken tough when it marinates for so long? I thought I read that somewhere, but I maybe just hallucinating And btw, your chicken certainly does not look tough in your pix.

Karon On Tuesday, June 28 at 5:03 am

No it does not because large chicken pieces can stand up to a long soak in citrus and not end up cooked like fish or thin slices of beef or chicken would. I have marinated Pollo Asada for up to 14 hours with no ill effects.

I make basically the same recipe except I add a 1/2 cup pineapple juice. Also I zest my fruit before I squeeze it and add the zest and the rinds to the marinate. I also put mine out on the grill with a few handfuls of pecan wood chips to add to the flavor.

Here in Phoenix you can get Pollo Asada from a number of Mexican Markets on the weekends.

Karen On Monday, June 27 at 12:12 pm

I’m not a dark meat lover. Do you think it would taste good with white meat!! It looks like a great 4th of July dinner!!

Sally On Wednesday, June 29 at 1:42 am

It will be great with white meat!

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Kristy On Monday, June 27 at 12:17 pm

How did you know I made fresh salsa on Saturday and needed something inspiring to go with it! I love pollo asado and this sounds yummy. Thanks!

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teejay On Monday, June 27 at 12:23 pm

the wonderful cheese is a fresh cheese called Queso Fresco–sort of like a pressed ricotta but with a bit more flavor and salt. It softens with heat but never gets stringy. Buy it at the Mom & Pop Mexican grocery or at a big Supermercado in the City, in the butcher case by the pound. Your kids will love it!!

Then there’s Cotija (co-tee-ha)) which is pressed like QF but is dryer, more crumbly and very salty. Served crumbled over hte top of cooked enchiladas, over taco fillings, and great blanketed over grilled corn on the cob with lime juice and chili powder. Almost parmesan-like in flavor.

54

Veronica T. On Monday, June 27 at 12:28 pm

I’m soooo cooking it these week, if somebody can help me, I’ll love to have the recipe for the “Green Salsa” I love it.

We JUST went there last week while visiting some friends. The chicken was goooood. Can’t wit to make this.

56

Kim in MD On Monday, June 27 at 12:49 pm

This looks delicious, Ree! Although I tried that exact bottled lemon juice (from Whole Foods), and I didn’t like it! I have to admit it never made it into a recipe, because when I tasted it from the bottle it didn’t taste like fresh lemon juice to me. I guess it’s better than nothing in a pinch!

57

Leigh On Monday, June 27 at 12:56 pm

PW’s salsa verde looks great. Anyone have any good recipes for salsa verde?

I’m just scrollin’ along scrollin’ along thinkin’ this recipe looks pretty good and then…there is that picture. The first one with the dish all plated and lookin so good. It’s simple enough, yet for some reason I CANNOT make my plates look like that. Forget about the fact that I don’t know how to take the picture either, I can’t even get my plates to look like the AWESOMENESS I have imagined in my mind or seen on a blog or whatever. Just keep at it right? RIGHT.

59

Amy On Monday, June 27 at 1:17 pm

This looks fabulous, but I have one WARNING: Please scrub your fruit. I’m still getting over food poisoning I got last Monday from a bad lemon. Trust me, it’s worth the time it takes.

Totally. Clean fruit is happy fruit and life is too short to waste in the bathroom feeling remorseful over bad food hygiene.

Joyce On Monday, June 27 at 3:36 pm

Thanks for the reminder; cantalope, melons, wash as well!

60

Jenny On Monday, June 27 at 1:18 pm

Oh I’m excited to make this – I get all motivated every time you post a new (seemingly easy) method for me to cook meat. Blackened chicken is my favorite.

Does anyone have any ideas on specific spices and how much of them I should be adding, if I’m looking for a ‘fire’ version?

61

Keri On Monday, June 27 at 1:36 pm

Now I know what to do with the chicken drumsticks I bought last week and stuck in the freezer. I think even my picky kids would eat it as would my husband who could leave off the pico since he hates Mexican food which I love and rarely make.

62

Cassandra On Monday, June 27 at 1:38 pm

Too funny! That dive is called Chano’s, and it’s still there. My son went to USC and that was one of the first places he discovered during his first weeks there. I’ve had food from there a time or two also. Good stuff!

Anna On Monday, June 27 at 2:28 pm

I had to laugh at the “warm some corn tortillas in a separate oven” bit. Riiiight, my SECOND oven. I’ll get right on that.

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Krysta On Monday, June 27 at 2:55 pm

This is awesome! I LOVED El Pollo Asado. They had the best RICE ever!! Can you do the rice?!

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Sally JoJo On Monday, June 27 at 3:11 pm

This marinade sounds very similar to a great bottled one I use. It’s called Mojo Marinade, it’s a citrus based marinade and I find it in the Mexican food section at my Publix. I squeeze a fresh lime into it and add a whole sliced onion and marinate it overnight. I’ve only used it over pork roast in the crock pot and shredded it. Now I will have to try it with chicken.

Sarah On Friday, July 1 at 12:13 pm

Mojo is not mexican…just fyi its cuban…i discovered this when I moved to california and had to start making my own…because even though there is a very large hispanic population here…there are NO CUBANS!!!! so they don’t sell mojo in the stores here. :(…

67

traci h On Monday, June 27 at 3:49 pm

So cooked you use bone in chicken breasts? It looks soooo good but I just can’t do dark meat – thanks!

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Laura On Monday, June 27 at 4:44 pm

You are lucky you were a vegitarian while eating at Chano’s – otherwise you probably would have gotten sick and had a totally different opinion of the place. haha

Cara On Monday, June 27 at 7:34 pm

Wow, I want to try this recipe with fish, that marinade sounds perfect.

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Christina Vee On Monday, June 27 at 8:36 pm

As soon as I saw this, I knew what I was making for dinner tonight. Delicious!

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Allegra On Monday, June 27 at 8:39 pm

I’ve been looking for the marinade to simulate our California ‘El Pollo Loco’ chain’s chicken – this might just be it. Chicken pulled off the bone, a tortilla, pico de gallo, spanish rice and (my addition) cole slaw – yum!

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hana On Monday, June 27 at 8:48 pm

Here in the City of Angels, I though “El Polo Loco”?
That is the chain here in California that does this type of thing….always a line for it!

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Jamie On Monday, June 27 at 8:51 pm

OMG – this is El Pollo Loco, isn’t it?! My mom and I took FOREVER to perfect our version of their chicken when we left southern CA. All my TX friends LOVE it now – and beg for it! Lovelovelove that you published it!!! Makes me miss home!!!

80

Jen5253 On Monday, June 27 at 9:26 pm

I made this chicken and the homemade tortillas tonight and they were DELICIOUS!!!! They were a huge hit with the entire family, which is always nice!

I think I cooked the tortillas a little too long though. They were a little crispier than I prefer. I’ll have to try again and cook them less this time. I was distracted trying to get the table set and last minute toppings out on the table in between flipping the tortillas, so next time I’ll make sure and start earlier so that I can focus just on the tortillas.

Mix dry ingredients, add shortening and water, mix and knead for about 10 minutes. Roll into balls – I usually make 8-ish from this, making balls that are a nice handful (so descriptive, I know…). Cover and let rest for 1/2 hour, this is usually when I do the chopping of the vegetables and the browning of the meat or the shredding of the chicken if making chicken tacos from poached chicken. Flatten your dough using a rolling pin and toss on a hot griddle until brown, flip, brown the back.

Storebought ones taste so dry now, and if you want a really delicious tortilla, use the lard and substitute chicken broth for the water. Best meal ever (okay maybe not ever)? Poached chicken, use the broth for making rice mixed with corn and Tex-Mex seasonings and tortillas, shred the chicken and cook with some veggies (like onions, tomato, peppers if you like ‘em), add some more broth at the end to keep the moisture up, and add salsa verde/guacamole/pico de gallo/cheese/other veggies to the tacos as desired.

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Cynthia On Monday, June 27 at 10:31 pm

I live about half the time in Mexico and eat this chicken weekly when I’m there. My favorite place serves it just like this, but with shredded cabbage for crunch and FABULOUS incredibly thinly sliced marinated red onions. Try it–you’ll LOVE it!

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Jen Mohler On Monday, June 27 at 10:58 pm

So excited to see this! I worked at an El Pollo Asado in Arizona when I was in high school. LOVED their food! Can’t wait to try this!

Ree,
I just want to dive into every single picture! How is it I never thought of throwing the rinds in the marinade after squeezing? Duh!
I also want to know how you can take a picture with your right hand and hold food with your left. I would be dropping everything!

Erika C. On Tuesday, June 28 at 8:30 am

These look deeeelicious! I’d probably grill the chicken though – my apt would be TOO hot if I was broiling in the summer. And forget the pico, I’d need loads of guac – with just avocados, tomatillos, garlic, and lime juice…mmm

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Sarah P. On Tuesday, June 28 at 9:07 am

This looks PERFECT for a 4th of July bbq!

Also, an added note for those of you making the guacamole along with the Pico de Gallo… try garlic salt in place of regular salt. It does something to the avocado that is utterly amazing! It’s like adding nutmeg to dark greens, you don’t know why, but it’s just THAT much better!

Marlene On Tuesday, June 28 at 10:57 am

I always put cilantro in my salsa cruda aka pico.. I notice that you show it in the photo but it is not mentioned in the recipe..cilantro gives a distinctive flavor that makes mexican food taste like nothing else..

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Donna B On Tuesday, June 28 at 11:16 am

Got it in the oven right now! Can’t wait to try it! Hubby is coming home for lunch…kids at the pool….chicken may just be gone by the time they get back!

OK…so here is what is totally unfair…. it looks like you have a Whole Foods somewhat nearby… assuming it is Tulsa

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Katie On Tuesday, June 28 at 11:57 am

such a great kid friendly recipe! What kid doesn’t love drum sticks!

Sally On Wednesday, June 29 at 8:35 am

Mine. They don’t like wings, either.

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Yewf On Tuesday, June 28 at 12:05 pm

This here mountain gal is gonna get me down to the store and buy up some of this here chicken for slops tonight! Mmmmhmmm, girl… you got my eyes a waterin and my thighs a quiverin. You always got the tastiest eats for me and the darlin, hard workin farm boys I got sweatin their heinies off! Oooohh, get me some of that tasty chicken! Love ya, Ree!

Saturday, April 4: Freezer Fundamentals! While ranch work is going on outside, freezer work is going on inside! I share four more of my favorite freezer basics, which can be made into a whole bunch of different meals.